Cable network “news” broadcasts routinely do something that violates the very principles of fair and impartial reporting. Almost without fail, the anchors/hosts of these news shows on each network routinely mingle their own personal opinion with the day’s headlines.
BY CHRISTOPHER RUSH • AMARILLO BUSINESS
I recently stepped away from a career in community newspapers where I spent the better part of my days consuming vast quantities of news stories and commentary, both in print and online.
After a full day of being bombarded by headlines and suffering from information overload, the last thing I wanted to do when arriving home was watch another news broadcast on television.
But after being away from the news industry for a time, I began tuning in to daytime cable news shows. Whether CNN, Fox, or MSNBC, I witnessed all of these cable network “news” broadcasts routinely do something that violates the very principles of fair and impartial reporting. Almost without fail, the anchors/hosts of these news shows on each network routinely mingle their own personal opinion with the day’s headlines.
This does not even include the “talking head” analysis shows in which a panel of political insiders hold forth their learned opinions on the the news of the day. But now days, even moderators insert their personal judgement and opinions.
There was a time when this was strictly forbidden. Legendary CBS anchorman, the late Walter Cronkite, was known as “the most trusted man in America” for a reason. He reported the news impartially and revealed no personal bias while doing so. Whether it was the Kennedy assassinations, the rise of the NASA space program, the heat of the Civil Rights movement, or the Watergate scandal, he reported accurately and faithfully each evening to the American viewing public.
In the rare occasions when Cronkite did engage in commentary — as he famously did during the Vietnam War — the editorial content was clearly segregated from the rest of the newscast (usually at the end) and it was typically labeled “Commentary.”
Early network TV shows featuring news analysis and commentary were strictly segregated from nightly newscasts. It applied to all three networks (ABC, NBC, CBS) and a virtual pantheon of broadcast news giants like Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Frank Reynolds, and Edward R. Murrow, followed this template.
Sadly, this is no longer a common practice. Networks on both the right and left of the political spectrum (a problem in itself) routinely cloud news reporting with personal “takes,” comments, and outright editorializing. This practice has helped undermine, if not completely destroy, the credibility of the national TV news media.
Everyone has become an instant expert or political operative more interested in scoring points for “their side.” This troublesome practice has only become more acute and widespread during our current political polarization.
Who can we trust? Are there still media outlets out there somewhere that play it straight?
There are scant options. Ironically, during this time of near-constant information flow, accurate and unbiased information is even more difficult to identify. Facebook and Twitter are certainly not the answer.
This is why your local news outlets are still a vital, if not indispensable, source of reliable news and information. Unlike the national media, community newspapers, local radio stations and many local TV stations are typically focused on the community. The hard-working journalists who staff local media outlets live and work among the very people and organizations they frequently report on. And unlike much of the national electronic media, this holds local journalists accountable and responsive to their audience.
In some ways, the national “media” (the one most Americans complain about most often) and local news outlets are almost different industries. Never has that become more clear than it is today.
For information that actually impacts your daily life, subscribe to a local newspaper, or listen to a newscast on a local radio station. They still label news as news and opinion as opinion. You’ll also be more informed than almost anyone else relying solely on national or social media.
In the immortal words of Cronkite, “And that’s the way it is…”
Christopher Rush is a retired newspaper editor & publisher now making his home in Amarillo.. He currently serves as Editor and Publisher of Amarillo Business.
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